The unpublished European patent application 91400298 discloses a method for processing of extrusion mixtures based on TPU, which are characterized by the admixture of one or more modifiers selected from thermoplastic elastomers based on polyesters and/or polyamides (nylon). According to the examples of this application, there are no references to adhesive films, particularly to those which are back-foamed with polyurethane foam.
Pursuant to the known co-extrusion method (German Auslegeschrift 2114065, U.S. Pat. No. 3,880,891), elastomeric films, which contain no release agent or spacing agent and are therefore outstandingly suitable, for example, for back-foaming with polyurethane foam, can be produced from polyurethanes. The disadvantages of this method are that an expensive co-extrusion plant (two extruders and blowing head with two concentric, ring-shaped dies) must be used and that a separating film is obtained which is essentially a waste product.
On the other hand, the production of films from thermoplastic materials, such as polyurethanes, etc., by the single layer blown extrusion technique is known. For this method, a film bubble is blown by a ring-shaped die by means of an extruder. After it has cooled, this film bubble is collapsed and cut on both sides, so that two superimposed film sheets (flat films) result, which are then separated and rolled up.
For this method, an internal release agent or spacing agent must be added, no later than in the extruder, to the relatively strongly adhering thermoplastic synthetic materials before they are blown. Otherwise the sheets of film (flat films) adhere to one another when they collapse, so that they can no longer be wound up satisfactorily in two separate sheets of film.
At the very least, the danger exists that the wound up, separated sheets of film interlock during storage, since post-crystallization is unavoidable. The materials, which are used according to the state of the art for avoiding this adhesion or interlocking, are waxes and/or inorganic additives, such as those described, for example, in A) Kunststoff-Taschenbuch (Plastics Pocket Book) Saechtling, 24th edition, published by Hanser; B) Kunststoff-Handbuch (Plastics Handbook) 7, Polyurethanes, Becker/Braun; C) Kunststoffe (Plastics) 80 (1990) 7, pages 827 ff.; D) HOECHST Kunststoff-Additive Produktmerkblatt (Plastic Additives-Product Instruction Sheet), November, 1988; German Auslegeschrift 2429780, European patent 81-0195899. The addition of these materials, however, brings about a reduced adhesive force when used later as films that are to be back-foamed. The polyurethane foam which is foamed onto these films adheres inadequately to the supporting film.
The tendency of the films to adhere during manufacture and storage can also be decreased by increasing the hardness of the films. If, for example, polyurethane films, which are up to about 100 .mu.m thick, have a Shore hardness of about 92 A or more, the production of the films is essentially problem-free. Even when back-foamed, the films still have sufficient adhesion towards the polyurethane foam. However, because of their high hardness, the films have an undesirably high stiffness and reduced elasticity, as well as a low water vapor permeability, which reduces the seat comfort or climate comfort of the back-foamed films when employed as seat cushions in upholstered furniture, such as automobile seats.
It is the object of the invention to avoid these disadvantages.